Envelop.



L. D. MAGNAUGHTON- ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED PEBJS, 1912.

1,041,827. Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

\IQLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C41, WASHINGTON. u. cv

LUTHER D. MAGNAUGHTON, OF EAGLE GROVE, IOWA.

ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 01313.22, 1912.

Application filed February 16, 1912. Serial No. 677,998.

'lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER D. Mao- NAUGI-ITON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Eagle Grove, in the county of lVright and State ofIowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention pertains to envelops for mailing purposes, and especiallyrelates to envelops of the kind in which an aperture of a convenientsize for the insertion of a thumb and forefinger is provided adjacentthe center of the line upon which the gummed flap is folded. Envelops ofthis character are convenient in use, for the reason that, after theflap has been slit open in the ordinary manner, the contents may beremoved by simply grasping them between the thumb and forefinger, thusobviating the necessity of blowing into the envelop, or otherwiseopening it up, to enable the fingers to be inserted therein to removethe contents.

It is the primary object of my invention so to construct an envelop ofthe above character that it will be completely sealed, and the contentscompletely protected, before the flap is slit open; while, after theflap has been slit open, the contents can be removed readily in themanner described above.

It is a further object-of my invention to produce an envelop having theabove characteristics which will be of a simple con struction, and whichmay be placed upon the market at a low price.

I have described an envelop constructed in accordance with my inventionin the following specification, and shown it in the accompanyingdrawing. I wish it understood, however, that my invention may beembodied in other forms of envelop than that shown, without departingfrom the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a front view of an envelop constructed inaccordance with my invention, the flap being raised, and a portion ofthe front being broken away, in order to disclose the sealing strip;Fig. 2 is a rear view of the envelop with the flap raised; Fig. 3 is avertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows; and Fig. 4 is a front view, on a reduced scale,illustrating the removal of an inclosure from the envelop.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 indicates the front side of theenvelop, and 11 indicates the rear side, having the ordinary flap 12,adapted to be folded down along the line 13 and gummed to the front side10. Formed in the rear side 11 and the flap 12, with one half thereof oneach side of the folding line 13 of the flap, is an aperture 14:, whichmay be of any desired shape, pro vided that it is of sufficient size topermit of the thumb and forefinger grasping the contents of the envelopthrough it. It will be seen that after the envelop has been scaled down,the paper or the like contained therein is accessible through theopening 14. The material of the flap, how ver, on each side of theaperture 14; prevents the contents of the envelop from being withdrawntherefrom. When the flap of the envelop has been slit in the usualmanner the contents may be removed by simply grasping them through theaperture 14,- and withdrawing them from the envelop. By this means, thenecessity of opening up the envelop, by blowing into it or the like, isobviated, and the withdrawal of the contents is much facilitated. Anenvelop constructed as described above is, however, subject to thedisadvantage that moisture and dirt can enter the envelop and soil thecontents. Also any small article contained in the envelop could readilyescape, and parts of a letter might be read through the opening. Inorder to obviate these disadvantages, I provide means for sealing theopening 14 in such a manner that the contents of the envelop may stillbe removed by the thumb and forefinger after the flap has been slitopen. This sealing means will now be de scribed. w

In order to seal the opening 14, I provide a strip 15, which may be ofpaper or the like, and which completely covers the opening lt, withinthe envelop, and extends down for a considerable distance adjacent therear side 11 of the envelop. This strip is provided with rearwardlyextending cars 16, which are secured, by glue or the like, to the rearside 11 of the envelop. The glue which secures the cars 15 to the rearside 11, does not extend upward beyond the folding line 13 of the flap;and it will be seen, therefore, that if the strip 15 be out along thefolding line 13, it will become entirely detached from the envelop, thecars 16 being the only means for securing the strip to the envelop.While, therefore, the strip 15 completely seals the opening 14 in thetop edge of the envelop, it does not hinder the withdrawal of thecontents of the envelop in precisely the same manner as would be thecase were no sealing strip employed. lVhen an inclosurea letter, forinstance, is placed in the envelop, and the flap is gummed down, theenvelop is completely sealed and the contents are absolutely protectedfrom moisture or dirt, while the length of the strip 15, at the lowerend thereof, prevents the contents of the letter from being read. Theupper portion of the strip 15 lies between the flap and the front of theenvelop, so that it prevents the writing upon the front side of theletter from being read. hen it is desired to remove the letter from theenvelop, the flap is slit along the line 13, in the ordinary manner,whereupon the letter may be removed by simply grasping the sealing strip15, and the letter beneath it, through the opening 14. The letter maythus be withdrawn, the sealing strip coming away with drawn, the sealingstrip coming away with it.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, the sealingstrip is formed with a transparent portion 17 at its center, throughwhich any printed matter properly placed upon the inclosure may be read.This construction is employed where privacy of the contents of theenvelop is not particularly desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with an envelop with a flap and having an openingformed at the line of folding of the flap to permit grasping of thecontents for withdrawing the same, of a sealing member for covering saidopening within the envelop, said sealing member being connected withsaid envelop so as to be disconnected therefrom when the envelop is slitopen in the ordinary manner, whereby, when the envelop has been slitopen, the contents may be withdrawn by grasping the same through saidsealing member.

2. The combination with an envelop with a flap and having an openingformed at the line of folding of the flap to permit grasping of thecontents for withdrawing the same, of a sealing strip covering saidopening, within the envelop, said sealing strip being secured to saidenvelop so as to be severed therefrom when the envelop is slit open inthe ordinary manner.

3. The combination with an envelop with a flap and having an openingformed at the line of folding of the flap to permit grasping of thecontents for withdrawing the same, of a sealing strip covering saidopening, within the envelop, said sealing strip being secured to saidenvelop at one side only of the line of folding of the flap, wherebysaid sealing strip is severed from the envelop when the latter is slitopen in the ordinary manner.

4:. The combination with an envelop with a flap and having an openingformed at the line of folding of the flap to permit grasping of thecontents for withdrawing the same, of a sealing strip covering saidopening, within the envelop, said sealing strip being formed withrearwardly-extending ears, said. ears being secured to the envelop atone side only of the line of folding of the flap, for the purposes setforth.

5. The combination with an envelop with a flap and having an openingformed at the line of folding of the flap to permit grasping of thecontents for witl'idrawing the same, of a sealing strip covering saidopening, within the envelop, said sealing strip being secured to saidenvelop at one side i only of the line of folding of the flap, wherebysaid sealing strip is severed from the envelop when the latter is slitopen in the ordinary manner, and said sealing strip having an extensionat the part adjacent the rear side of the envelop to prevent reading ofthe contents of the envelop.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

LUTHER D. MAGNAUGHTON.

lVitnesses:

S. B. MIDDLETON, JAMES M. RUDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

